Felger & Mazz: Thoughts on the Alex Verdugo trade to the New York Yankees

The Boston Red Sox traded outfielder Alex Verdugo to the New York Yankees on Tuesday night in exchange for three pitchers. On Wednesday's Felger and Mazz the guys gave their thoughts on the move by the Red Sox.

Thoughts on the Red Sox trade of Alex Verdugo...

Mazz: So Chaim Bloom is gone but his memory lives on. Tell me how this is different than any move he would have made...

Felger: Would he have made a trade with the Yankees?

Mazz: Sure.

Felger: Think so?

Mazz: Yeah, sure. Why not? Yes. Again, a nothing trade like this? And when I say a nothing trade, I'm being serious. When you look at the kind of deal they just made, and I'm not telling you it's a bad deal or good deal, I'm just talking about the type of deal it is: an arbitration eligible outfielder who is going to make about $10 million bucks and is going to be headed to free agency, we're going to dump him and we're going to pick up three fringe pitchers and hope that we hit on a lottery ticket.

Felger: Sounds like you're not...

Mazz: No, that's what it is. Listen.

Felger: Other than the Yankees part, you're right, it's a Chaim Bloom trade.

Mazz: Totally.

Jim Murray: But other than the financial aspect of it, shouldn't he have been moved, given his attitude and all of that?

Mazz: Yeah. Again, so if you're asking me about do I like the deal or dislike the deal, I would tell you, and this is a total copout, I would say I'm largely indifferent.

Felger: No, you're not. Because by your tone and by saying that it's a Chaim Bloom move, that is not a positive endorsement.

Mazz: How does it help them now?

Felger: You're saying you're ambivalent, but by linking it to what Chaim Bloom would do, you're dumping on it.

Mazz: How does it help them now?

Felger: It doesn't.

Mazz: Okay. So then you agree?

Felger: Yes, absolutely. I'm not saying I agree or disagree. I just wouldn't say you're ambivalent when you come right out and say this is something Chaim Bloom would do. That's not an ambivalent take. That's like, more of the same.

Mazz: I mean, it might help them down the road. I don't know. I can't predict to you what these three guys are. I have no clue.

Jim Murray: It's Mike's way of telling you to own your anger.

Mazz: And I don't love Verdugo. I never did. And I've heard from a lot of different people offering a lot of different thoughts and I would tell you that generally what people are feeling is justified. Like I had someone say to me, "why couldn't they get more for Verdugo?", and I would tell you that I think a lot of people have that response. And I would say, what did Alex Verdugo do here that was good. And when I say good, I mean, what skill does he have that is significantly above average?

Jim Murray: He can hit for power-ish.

Mazz: No.

J-Stew: He showed up late at an elite level to games.

Mazz: Correct. Yup, he was an elite screw up.

Listen to Felger and Mazz from 2-6 every Monday-Friday on 98.5 The Sports Hub, with hosts Mike Felger, Tony “Mazz” Massarotti, and Jim Murray “Big Jim”. You can listen live in the Sports Hub App and subscribe to their podcasts here. Follow @FelgerAndMazz on Twitter to keep up with the show!

With the Red Sox hiring Craig Breslow to be their Chief Baseball Officer last week and the annual baseball general manager meetings taking place in Arizona and Red Sox offseason has officially begun. The Red Sox sent out their official 40 man roster this week and wow, does this roster blow:

BOSTON RED SOX 40-MAN ROSTER (37)

Pitchers (21): Brayan Bello, Brennan Bernardino, Kutter Crawford, Logan Gillaspie, Tanner Houck, Joe Jacques, Kenley Jansen, Zack Kelly, Mauricio Llovera, Chris Martin, Bryan Mata, Wyatt Mills, Chris Murphy, Nick Pivetta, Nick Robertson, Chris Sale, John Schreiber, Brandon Walter, Zack Weiss, Garrett Whitlock, Josh Winckowski

Catchers (2): Reese McGuire, Connor Wong

Infielders (7): Triston Casas, Bobby Dalbec, Rafael Devers, David Hamilton, Trevor Story, Luis Urías, Enmanuel Valdez

Outfielders (5): Wilyer Abreu, Jarren Duran, Rob Refsnyder, Alex Verdugo, Masataka Yoshida

Infielder/Outfielders (2): Ceddanne Rafaela, Pablo Reyes

At his introductory press conference last week Craig Breslow said "Starting pitching certainly stands out as an area of need and I think some players coming back from injury and being able to solidify middle infield defense will add to that. I think there are some guys internally that we are excited about that may be able to take a step forward but that's certainly one. If you look at the overall construction of the roster, there's a possibility that maybe we add a right-handed bat to even out some of the platoon asymmetry." I think "platoon asymmetry" means the Red Sox are looking at a player like Whit Merrifield, who I love and have loved for many years. The Athletics Jen McCaffrey floated Whit Merrifield as a possibility earlier this week.

From Ian Brown on "X" - Scott Boras on if he thinks the Red Sox will be more aggressive after the shift in management: “We met with them as we do with new presidents, general managers, they certainly appeared as though they really wanted to remove themselves from the standing of where they’re at now and get to a competitive level so that was a very clear message on their part.”

The Red Sox need to set tone and make a move this week. Let their actions of aggression match their words of being aggressive. MY hope is that we look back at this Red Sox off season as a positive, franchise altering one rather than add it to the list below of terrible Red Sox off seasons.

On October 25, 2019, the Red Sox hired 36-year-old Chaim Bloom as Chief Baseball Officer from the Tampa Rays were Bloom was the Senior Vice President of Baseball Operations, that hiring began the downward spiral of the Boston Red Sox to where we are today. I'm always open to a good conspiracy theory and mine is that Bloom hired by the Red Sox to make the Mookie Betts trade and in February 2020 Betts was dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers as part of a five-player swap. The Red Sox also sent left handed pitcher David Price to LA in exchange for outfielder Alex Verdugo, catcher Connor Wong, and infield prospect Jeter Downs. The moment the Mookie Betts trade was made we all knew it was a disaster.

Jeter Downs is gone following a December 2022 waiver claim.

Alex Verdugo has shown flashed of being a top player on the Red Sox but on and off the field issues have kept him from being a two way impact player.

Connor Wong might be the last man standing from the Betts trade but his clock is ticking as the Red Sox drafted Kyle Teel.

Bloom is now sitting at home, bitter at the Red Sox for not being a good leader of Baseball Operations and being mocked in the media.

I think this was the beginning of the end for Larry Lucchino as the man who "runs the Red Sox". He went for a big splash and found no water in the pool by signing Hanley Ramirez and former World Series MVP Pablo Sandoval.

Hanley Ramírez signed a four-year, $88 million deal with a fifth year vesting option worth $22 million to return to the Boston Red Sox. They announced plans to play him in left field, even though he had only previously played shortstop and third base in his career. Hanley in 429 games hit .260 with 78 home runs, 255 RBIs and a .777 OPS. He was released by the Boston Red Sox on May 30th of 2018.

Pabl0 Sandoval signed a five-year, $90 million contract with a sixth year club option of $17 million or a $5 million buy-out with the Boston Red Sox. Pablo in 161 games hit .237 with 14 home runs, 59 RBIs and a .646 OPS. He also liked a few Instagram models during games. He was released by the Boston Red Sox on July 19, 2017.

Both Hanley and Pablo failed in Boston.

What a mess he was. Bobby Valentine was introduced by Red Sox General Manager Ben Cherington on December 2, 2011, as the 45h manager of the Boston Red Sox and reportedly against Cherington's suggestion. Valentine was supposedly a Larry Lucchino hire while Ben Cherington wanted Dale Sveum, who was hired by the Chicago Cubs. Valentine's only season with Boston was marred by injuries, public feuds with players like Dustin Pedroia, run-ins with the media, and terrible relationships with his coaches. The 2012 Red Sox finished last in the AL East at 69–93, their worst record in 47 years. Valentine was fired by the Red Sox on October 4, 2012. He should have been fired on the same day the Red Sox traded Gonzalez and Crawford to the Dodgers.

After getting smoked in the 1990 ALCS by the Oakland A's, The Red Sox went out and signed Jack Clark, Matt Young and Danny Darwin. To quote Mazz, suck, suck and suck. Jack Clark was 35, Matt Young was 32 and Danny Darwin was 35. As a youth, I was less than thrilled. I watched the Matt Young no hitter live on a Sunday afternoon in Cleveland and knew when he lost that game the Sox that season were porked. I still have nightmares about the actual end of the 1991 Red Sox season which was Jeff Reardon and Matt Young blowing a game against the Yankees in mid September.

The "Best Team Ever Created" in Red Sox history went 90-72 and finished third in the American League East. We all loved Theo trading prospects for All Star Adrian Gonzalez. Impact hitter and defender at first. What many fans didn't understand, along with owner John Henry, why are we signing Carl Crawford? Crawford just didn't fit. Most of us saw that. The Red Sox opening day line up in Texas was, Ellsbury, Pedroia, Crawford, Youkilis, Gonzalez, Ortiz, Cameron, Saltalamacchia, Scutaro. In what world is Crawford the three hitter? The fact he signed a seven-year, $142-million contract was the reason why.

The Red Sox won the World Series and did NOTHING. They had all the answers and made the choice to sign only 37 year old catcher A.J. Pierzynski. They went from World Series champions to 71-91.